Report: West Ham 1 United 3
Sensational 'Comeback Kings' Manchester United did it again on the road with a spectacular second-half display against West Ham at the London Stadium to record a fifth away win of the campaign with an incredible 3-1 victory.
We have gone behind in all of our matches on the road this term in the Premier League before roaring back to secure three points in all of them.
The template was the same against the Hammers as a disappointing first-half display by United saw Tomas Soucek put the Hammers ahead after 38 minutes. But three second-half substitutions by Ole Gunnar Solksjaer was the catalyst for another amazing recovery.
Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, and later Juan Mata, inspired the win as Paul Pogba, Mason Greenwood and Rashford scored three-world class goals in 13 minutes.
Comeback Kings
GalleryUnited pull off another impressive turnaround on the road. We never say die!
FIRST HALF - HAMMER BLOW FOR REDS
United survived an early scare in the capital when Jarrod Bowen beat Dean Henderson having been put through on goal. But the linesman had his flag up as soon as the ball hit the net and VAR confirmed the decision to disallow West Ham an opener.
It was a laboured opening half hour by the Reds who were unable to worry the Hammers at all, bar an 18th minute Anthony Martial shot that was deflected for a corner.
There was another escape for Ole's men after 32 minutes when a Bowen cross was inviting a headed finish at the far post by Pablo Fornals. Fortunately the Spaniard smashed his chance into the side-netting when a goal looked almost certain.
Unfortunately it didn’t wake the Reds up but instead inspired the Londoners further and they came even closer on 35 minutes when Fornals, again, had an opportunity but toe-poked against the post with Henderson beaten.
Paul Pogba did have a 36th-minute sight of goal, but the Frenchman’s shot was too easy for West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski to gather up.
All the warnings failed to alert United and inevitably the home side went ahead after 38 minutes. A corner was headed on by Declan Rice and Soucek reacted at the far post, while the Reds' defence stood still, and volleyed in from a yard.
The Hammers should have been two up a few minutes later when Sebastien Haller was put clean through, but then slipped in the box with an open goal begging.
Martial responded with a shot that was well saved, before West Ham threatened again and only a rescuing Aaron Wan-Bissaka tackle on Bowen kept the scoreline at 0-1 at the interval.
SECOND HALF - UNITED STORM BACK WITH A BRILLIANT TREBLE
After such a flat first half for the Reds, Ole shook things up for the second 45 minutes, bringing on two subs in Rashford and Fernandes for Edinson Cavani and Donny van de Beek.
The storyline, however, didn’t alter initially with David Moyes' side again on the front foot. Dangerman Bowen came close to extending the lead when he slid in at the back post on a Vladimir Coufal cross, but could only nudge the ball wide.
A long range shot from captain Harry Maguire and a lashed effort, fizzing just wide, from Scott McTominay was the best and most promising response all match from United.
Solskjaer was forced into his final substitution, just after the hour, when Juan Mata replaced the injured Martial. And what followed was a glorious three minutes.
A stunning counter in the 65th minute saw Henderson chase out of his goal to hoof the ball forward up the touchline to Fernandes. Our Portuguese midfielder set the ball up for Pogba, who curled a brilliantly executed side-foot home. There was a minute of tension as there was a question whether Henderson’s ball had gone out of play as it curled forward, but Pogba’s stunner stood and at last it sparked the Reds.
In the 68th minute we were ahead. Fernandes and Alex Telles cut West Ham open and Greenwood's turn and half-volley into the net was magnificent. It could have been three in seven minutes when Rashford hit the post as United ran amok.
It was an astonishing spell by the Reds and the Hammers were shell-shocked further when Rashford clipped home a third after 78 minutes when he was put through by another game-changing sub Mata. The finish was as good as the assist, as United turned this remarkable game on its head.
Henderson brilliantly saved from a Cresswell free-kick in the 84th minute to ensure there wasn't a nerve-jangling finale, as the Reds moved up to fourth in the table.
Talking Points: West Ham v United
ArticleThere was plenty to discuss after yet another brilliant come-from-behind victory.
Team line-ups
United: Henderson; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Telles; McTominay, Pogba; Greenwood, van de Beek (Fernandes 45), Martial (Mata 61); Cavani (Rashford 45).
Subs not used: Grant, Williams, Tuanzebe, Matic.
Goals: Pogba (65), Greenwood (68), Rashford (78)
West Ham: Fabianski; Coufal (Johnson 84), Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Masuaku; Bowen (Lanzini 78), Rice, Soucek, Fornals (Benrahma 76); Haller.
Subs not used: Randolph, Diop, Noble, Snodgrass.
Goal: Soucek (38)